As casinos become more and more popular throughout the country, casino operators are attempting to make the casinos as "user friendly" as possible while also maximizing the profitability of the casino. Casinos generally offer different types of refreshments and entertainment. The refreshments may include various types of beverages, cigarettes, and cigars, and the like. Casinos traditionally have offered complimentary refreshments to their preferred or regular customers. The casino entertainment generally includes gaming activities such as black jack, baccarat, and other types of card games; roulette; craps; and also various types of gaming devices. These gaming devices may include slot machines, poker machines, and numerous other types of electronic or mechanical devices.
As is well known, a slot machine is a coin or token operated gaming machine that pays off according to the matching of symbols on wheels spun by a handle. Of course, most slot machines today are electronically based with the payoff determined by the matching of symbols as shown on an electronic display. It is not uncommon for a customer to hold a large number of coins or tokens while playing a slot machine. The customer either bringing the coins or tokens with him or her to begin playing a particular machine or the customer may win a large number of coins or tokens. It also is not uncommon for a customer to play one particular slot machine for an extended amount of time. This continued play is done on the belief that the customer's odds of winning a jackpot increase with each coin or token.
Casinos desire that their customers play such gaming devices for as long as possible while being as comfortable as possible. One drawback with the current design of slot machines and other types of gaming devices is that the customer may not have a free hand while playing the gaming device to partake of the casinos' refreshments. In other words, the customer may not have a free hand for a drink, a cigarette, a cigar, and the like while playing the gaming device. For example, most slot machines simply do not have a flat ledge designed to accommodate a drink or an ashtray. Although a casino may generate a significant amount of revenue from the sale of beverages, cigarettes, cigars, and the like, the casino and its customers would prefer for the customer to stay at the gaming device rather than spending time in the bar. Likewise, the customer may not want to leave a particular slot machine on the belief that a jackpot is imminent.
What is needed, therefore, is a means by which a customer playing a slot machine or other type of gaming device can enjoy a beverage, cigarette, cigar, and the like. The customer can enjoy the refreshments, while also holding his or her coins or tokens, without having to leave the gaming device. These goals must be accomplished in a cost efficient manner that does not distract the customer from the slot machine or other type of gaming device.